Dispenser for rolled sheet material



Dec. 1, 1942.

Filed Aug. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l i 27 4 1 1 54 2a 45 44 8 4d :1 38 a7 a2 RArQ/Vaso/v, INVENTOR BY; r flrrogv x Dec. 1, 1942., R Q W805. 2,303,520

DISPENSER FORROLLED SHEET MATERIAL Filed Aug. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 will, I .FIG.

Ill/l, a, v I *0 in x,

194) 0. W/L 501v;

INVENTOR Patented Dec. 1, 1942 DISPENSER FOR ROLLED SHEET MATERIAL Ray 0. Wilson, Los Angeles, C'alifl, assignor of one-half to Russell E. Walsh, Gardena, Calif.

Application August 18, 1941, Serial No. 407,331 I 12 Claims.

,pensed from a continuous roll of material in the form of relatively short lengths or individual towels.

The most desirable length for such a towel is determined principally by the conditions under which suchtowels are dispensed. For example, in connection with the operation of gasoline service stations it has become the practice to employ towel dispensers in the rest rooms and wash rooms and also at the island or gasoline pump location, these latter dispensers being used to dispense paper towels which are employed for the cleaning of automobile Windshields. It has been found that a ten or eleven inch towel will adequately supply the towel needs in wash rooms and rest rooms but that such a relatively short towel is absolutely inadequate for use in cleaning Windshields, this latter operation requiring generally a towel of approximately twenty inches in length. For obvious reasons it is'desirable to employ the same towel dispenser at the island or pump location as is employed in the wash rooms, but prior to my invention there has not been made available a towel dispenser which can be readily adjusted to provide substantially any desired length of individual towel.

In connection with the use of towel dispensers at gasoline service stations, it'is desirable that the dispensers which are located in the wash rooms and restrooms be provided with a manually operable device for releasing the towel stop so that after one towel length has been withdrawn from the cabinet a manual operation of the control device is required before another towel can be withdrawn. By employing such a device the wasting of towels is discouraged and a considerable economy in the towel consumption is realized. However, where atowel dispenser is employed at the island, the requirement for releasing a manual control device before a towel can be withdrawn is an unnecessary nuisance. In order to assist a service station operator in providing quick service and to avoid delays, it is desirable that a towel may be withdrawnirom the dispenser at any time without the need of manipulating levers or similar release devices in order to' permit the withdrawal of a towel. Prior to my invention, no towel dispenser was available which could be readily and easily arranged for automatic operation as is desired at the island or for manualoperation as is required when the dispenser is installed in the wash rooms.

It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a dispenser for rolled sheet material in which a stop is provided for arresting the movement of the sheet material each time a predetermined length of sheet material is drawn from the roll, together with a means which is automatically responsive to the severing of the withdrawn length of towel for removing the stop to permit another length to be withdrawn from the dispenser.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a dispenser of the character set forth in the preceding paragraph in which a means is provided for preventing the operation of the automatic releasing means and including also a manually oper-.- able means for'efiecting the release of the stop.

It is an additional object of my invention to provide a dispenser of the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs wherein at least a part of the weight of the roll of sheet material is rested upon a roller over which the sheet material is passed as it is withdrawn from the roll and in which the roller is spring urged in one direction and movable a predetermined distance in the opposite direction in response to withdrawing of the sheet material.

It is also an object of my invention to provide a dispenser of the character set forth in the preceding paragraph in which a means .is provided for disengagingthe roll of sheet material from the roller ,to permit the spring to return the roller to its original starting position to thereby permit another length of sheet material to be withdrawn'from the dispenser. v I It is a still further object of my invention to provide a, dispenser of the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs which includes a means for adjusting the length of material which may be withdrawn before movement of the material is arrested by the stopmeans,

It is also an object of my invention toprovide a dispenser of the character setforth hereinbefore in which the means for adjusting the length of the withdrawn material is enclosed within the dispenser to. discourage unauthorized adjustment thereof.

-- Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a study of the following specifications, read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a perspective view illustrating the form and appearance of the preferred form of my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view of the dispenser illustrated in Fig. 1 with the lower part of one end plate broken away to illustrate the interior arrangement of "the mechanism;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section taken substantially along the line IIIIII of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional View taken substantially along the -lin'e'IV-IV*of Fig. 3 to illustrate the operative positions of the parts at the time a length of sheet material is being withdrawn from the dispenser;

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig.'-.4 but illustrating the positions of the parts after the withdrawn length has been severed from the roll-of material;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the right-hand endportion of themechanism illustrated in Fig.3;

Fig. 7 .is .a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially along the line VII-VII of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 'VIII-VIII of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings,.I .have illustrated in Fig. 1 the preferred embodiment of my invention as comprising a cabinet I which is fitted with a hinged-coverZ, the cover2 bein pivotally supported upon'the cabinet I as by means of hinge or pivot pins 3. The cabinet is employed to enclose a roll 4 of sheet material which is supported in .the cabinet by means of a control roller 5 and a tiltable shelf 6. 'Theroller 5 is extended across .the cabinet I parallel to the axis of the roll of .material Land is .so positioned W th r spect to the-roll 4 as -.to support at least a part of the weight of the roll.

The end of the roll'of material 4 indicated in the drawings by reference character 6a is passed over the top of the roller 5 and thence downwardly past a guiding shoe l which is suitably supported as by meanswof clips 8 from the cover.2 and througha suitable aperture 9 formed in the bottom'of the cabinet I. .When the end Ba of the sheet material is grasped and; pulled from the cabinet, the roller "5 will .be rotated thereby, the roller.5..being journaled for rotation upon a shaft I which is extendedbetween and supported by opposite end walls I I and -I2 of the cabinet I.

The shaft I0 is preferably-provided with a squared end portion I3 whichis received in a similarly squared aperture providedinahubportion I4 of anadjustment lever I5. The lever I includes a .detent I6 normally engaged with one ofa plurality of apertures 11 formed in-an adjustment plate I8 which isin..turn' secured as by soldering or..spot Welding. I9..to the inner surface .of the cabinet endwall II. ".Thus the; shaft III is nonerotatably supported'from the cabinet end wallII.

The roller 5 may .be jjournaled for rotation upon "the shaft I0..as .by.providing the.roller 5 witha longitudina'llyextending .bore .fitted with suitablejournals or bush n s. ZI. and 2Z,ro-

tatably. received upontheshaft' Ill. .The opposite end .of the shaft II] 'is preferably reduced in diameter as indicatednat 23 (see'Fig. J6), this reduced diameter end being received in .a corresponding bore .24 formed .in .a track defining member 25. The member 25 is preferably provided with an outer squared end 26 which is received in a similarly squared aperture 21 formed in an end bracket 28 which is in turn suitably secured to the inner surface of the cabinet end wall I2. The track defining member 25 preferably comprises a cylindrical member in the outer surface of which is cut a helical groove 29 which has an arcuate cross section adjusted to closely conform to the curvature of a steel ball-30 which is mounted for movement along the helical groove.

The ball 30 is caused to move along the groove -.29-in response to rotation of the roller 5, the

aperture 20 in the roller 5 being enlarged as in'dicatedat 3I inFig. 6 and fitted with a sleeve 32. The'sleeve 32 is of generally cylindrical'form .but includes an axially extending and radially deformed portion 33 which, together with the groove 29, encompasses the ball 30 and serves to retain the ball 30 within the groove 29 and serves also to move the ball 30 circumferentially of the member 25 as the roller 5 is rotated. As the roller 5 is rotated, the'ball 3D is thus moved along thehelicalrgroove 29 and is thus caused to move axially of the roller 5 from an initial position such as that illustrated in Fig. 3 to an arrestingposition such as that illustrated in Fig. 6 in which .the ball 30 engages a radial flange 34 formed on the track defining member 25'.

When the ball is moved to the position illustrated in Fig. 6 further rotary movement cannot take place without similarly rotating the member 25 which is held against such rotation by engagement of the squared end 26 with the squared aperture 21. Thus, the roller 5 is permitted a predetermined limited number of revolutions in moving the ball 30 from the position illustrated in Fig.3 to that illustrated in Fig. 6. This rotation is imparted to the roller 5 by the withdrawal of the sheet material which is frictionally engaged with the roller 5, such frictional engagement being enhanced, if desired. by the employment of suitable sleeves or bands 35 of rubber or other friction material surrounding the roller 5. Thus when the rotation of the roller 5 is arrested, .the withdrawal of the sheet material is likewise arrested and when this condition obtains. the withdrawn length may be severed by lifting the withdrawn length outwardly and upwardlytobring the same into engagement with a serrated cutting edge 36 which is carried by the-cover 2.

..t will be noted'that the length of the piece of material 'thusnsevered from the roll 4 is determined by the length of path through which the ball 30 is permitted to move. The limits of thezpath of movement'of the ball 30 is defined at one end bythe radial flange '34 and at the other end by an end 13'! of a helical spring 38 which wound about the end of the shaft ill and in-thehelical groove 29. The opposite end of the spring is turned inwardly as indicated at 39 and engaged with a longitudinally extending keyway MI formed in the end of the shaft In.

It will be noted that by rotating the shaft I0, the spring 38 will be rotated relative to the track defining member 25. The spring 38 is closely fitted in the helicalgroove 29 so that such rotation of the spring. 38 will result in an axial movement of the spring relative to the shaft Ill and member 25, thisaxial movement being permitted by the sliding of the in-turned end 39 along the keyway 40. .Such movement of the spring The adjusting lever is provided for rotating the shaft it, such rotation of the shaft Ill being permitted by forming the same with a cylindrical end portion 4| which is received within a circular aperture provided in the adjustment plate IS. The detent portion l6 of the lever l5 may be disengaged from the aperture I! by springing the lever l5 inwardly. In moving the lever I5 to a new position a release of the inward pressure thereon permits the detent IE to engage another one of the apertures I1 and thereafter hold the shaft Ill against subsequent rotation. The roller 5 is normally urged to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation imparted by the withdrawal of the sheet material 4. -This may be accomplished by counterboring one end of the bore 20 as indicated at 42 and providing a torsion spring 43 within the counterbore 42 encircling the shaft Ill, one end of the spring 43 being engaged with the roller 5 as indicated at 44 and the other end being engaged as indicated at 45 with an enlarged portion 46 formed on the shaft, Ill. This spring ,is tensioned by the rotation of the roller 5 resulting from the withdrawal of the material from the dispenser and tends to rotate the roller 5 in the reverse direction. This reverse rotation is, however, prevented by the weight of the roll 4 resting on theroller 5. and the frictional engagement of the end 6a of the material with that portion of the roller surface with which it is, engaged.

To permit an additional length of sheet material to be withdrawn from the dispenser it is necessary that thisfrictional engagement between the sheet material and the. roller. be removed to permit the roller 5 toreturn to its initial position as is illustrated in Fig. 3.- The tiltable shelf 6 is employed for effecting this releasing operation and accordingly includes a plurality of curved fingers 4'5 which partially encircle the roller 5 and are disposed between the roller Stand the sheet material 6a. normally do not engage the sheet material 6a, being received within circumferentially extending grooves 48 formed in the outer surface of the roller 5. v

The shelf 5 is pivotally supported within the cabinet I as by means of a-transversely extending pivot'pin 49 and pivotal movement of the shelf 8 about the pivot pin 49 from aposition such as that illustrated in Fig. 4 to a position. such as that illustrated in Fig. 5 serves to raise the fingers 41 and bring the same into contact'with the sheet material 5a and lift the same out of engagement with the roller 5. At the same time the roll 4 of sheet material is lifted and moved rearwardly out of engagement with the roller 5, thus freeing the roller 5 and permitting the torsion spring 43 to return the same to its initial position as is illustrated in Fig. 3.

Tilting movement of the shelf 6 is preferably limited between positions illustrated in'Figs. 4 and 5 by a suitable stop construction. One convenient form of stop construction is illustrated herein as comprising a member 55 which is 'se-' cured to the shelf 6 and extended laterally as indicated at 5lthrough an aperture 52 formed The fingers 41 drawn length of material.

in the cabinet end wall 12. The aperture 52 is made with a diameter exceeding the width of the member by an amount equal to the amount the shelf is to be permitted to move. The inclination of the shelf 6 and the location of the pivot shaft 49 are preferably so chosen as to normally dispose the center of gravity of the roll 4 rearwardly of the pivot shaft 49, whereby the weight of the roll 4 serves to normally and continuously urge the shelf 6 to the position illustrated in Fig. 5. When the roll 4 is nearly exhausted, the center of gravity thereof will have shifted forwardly somewhat and movement of the shelf 5 to the position illustrated in Fig. 5 may, under these conditions, be insured as by securing to the rearward edge of the shelf 6 a suitable counterweight 53.

It will be noted that the counterweight 53 and the weight of the roll 4 cooperate to eifect an automatic lifting of the fingers 4? to permit the roller 5 to be spring returned to its initial position immediately upon the severing of the with- The shelf 5 is so nearly balanced that when a downward withdrawing force is applied to the end to of the sheet material, the shelf 6 will thereby be tilted to its lower position which is illustrated in Fig. 4. In case it is desired to provide for a manual releasing of the stop means instead of the automatic releasing operation above described, the effect of the weight of the roll 4 and the counterbalance 53 may be offset as by means of a tension spring 54 which is extended between the member 50 and the bottom wall of the cabinet I. When the spring 54 is employed, the roller 5 is not released upon severing of the withdrawn length of material and the shelf 6 must be manually tilted against the force of the spring 54 the finger-piece 55 will pivotally move the shelf 6 about the pivot shaft 4-9 from the position illustrated in Fig. 4 to that illustrated in Fig. 5, whereupon the roller 5 is released and returned to its initial position by the spring 43. Thereafter an additional length of sheet 'material ma y be withdrawn from the dispenser and severed from the remainder in the manner previously described.

I have found that if the sheet material is violently withdrawn from the dispenser the m0- mentum imparted to the roll of material 4 will cause the same to rotate through a part of a revolution after the actual feeding of the material is arrested. In order to prevent this additional material from passing outwardly through the slot 9 and so increasing the'length of the next sheet withdrawn from the cabinet, I employ a spring pressure finger 550, best illustrated in Fig. 2. The finger 5511' may form a continuation of the guiding shoe 1 andis preferably centrally disposed so as to overlie the center curved finger 47. The natural resilience of the material employed for the finger 55a is used to urge the finger into light pressure engagement with the surface of the roller 5. The finger thus serves to maintain adequatefriction engagement between the sheet material and the roller during the time the sheet material is being withdrawn from the cabinet. f

- Upon tearing off the sheet material, the lifting of'the'finger 41 serves :toliftzthe spring finger 55aout of engagement'with the rollerand so permits the roller to return to itsinitial position.' Any excess;material which maybe fed from the roll 4 of sheet material accumulates as a fold or loop between the roll 4 and the upper end of the spring finger 55a and so is included in the amount of sheet material which is measurcd by the device during the next withdrawal of sheet material.

The apparatus above described permits the dispenser to be used under widely varying circumstances by virtue of the provision which is made for adjusting the length of the sheet which may be withdrawn from the dispenser and also by virtue of the arrangement of the tiltable shelf 6 provided for either an automatic or a manual release of the stop member. Under these circumstances it is anticipated that the dispenser will, in many circumstances, be mounted in locations where it will be exposed to the action of the elements and the cabinet is for this reason preferably made weather-proof, being formed of sheet metal or other equally suitable material.

The hinged cover 2 is preferably positioned. within the cabinet I so that the portion of the cover 2 which is disposed above the pivot pin 3 is telesccped within the cabinet I and occupies a position such as that indicated by dotted line 56 in Fig. 2. To prevent moisture entering between the cover 2 and the cabinet I at points disposed below the pivot pins 3, the side edges 51 of the cover 2 are flanged outwardly as indicated at 58 in Figs. 1 and 2 to-overlie the side walls II and I 2 of the cabinet. Thus, water falling on the cabinet I or the cover 2 must, in

order to enter the interior of the cabinet, run' uphill between the adjacent overlying portions of the cabinet I and cover 2.

Attention is directed to the fact that the tiltable shelf 6 and the roller are both supported from the cabinet I, whereas, the cutting member 36 and the guide member 1 are both carried by the cover 2. Thus, the difficulties encountered in previous dispenser constructions with respect to the necessity for threading the end of the material between rollers and guides upon the placing of a new roll of material within the dispenser is, in my device, avoided. By merely pivotally moving the cover 2 to an open position, the roll of sheet material 4 may be placed in a position resting upon the roller 5 and the shelf 6 and the end of the material may be merely passed over the top of the roller 5. Movement of the cover 2 to a closed position will dis pose the parts in the positions illustrated in Fig. 2 and the device is ready for use.

Any suitable means may be employed for nonrotatably securing the end l3 of the shaft in to the adjustment lever I5 and for similarly securing the end 26 of the track defining member 25 to the end bracket 28. However, the squared end and square socket construction illustrated or other readily disengageable connec tion is preferred because it provides for the ready removal of the roller 5 from the cabinet. Such removal is effected by merely springing the bracket 28 to the right viewed in Fig. 3 a distance sufficient to free the squared end 26 from the aperture 21, whereupon the roller 5 may be bodily lifted from the cabinet.

From the foregoing it will be observed that I have provided a dispenser for rolled sheet material wherein the withdrawing of the material operates the control roller to measure .the

egsosaiao amount 'of material withdrawn and .to 'arrest further withdrawing of the material when a predetermined length thereof has been withdrawn. This length may be adjusted as desired by means of the adjusting mechanism which is controlled by the control lever I5.

It will also be noted that the device issusceptible of either automatic or manual operation; that is, in the latter case a manual lifting of the member is required before a second length of sheet material may be withdrawn from the cabinet, whereas, in the first instance the mere severing of the withdrawn length from the bulk of the material operates to automatically release the stop member and to permit another length to be immediately withdrawn.

While I have shown and described the pre-- ferred embodiment of my invention, I do not desire to be limited to any of the details of construction shown or described herein, except as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a dispenser for rolled sheet material, the combination of: a cabinet for enclosing a roll of said sheet material and having an opening through which said material may be withdrawn; a movable means carried by said cabinet and frictionally engaging said sheet material for limited movement thereby between an initial position and an arresting. position in which said material is frictionallyheld against further withdrawal; spring means normally urging said movable means to said initial position; and means for disengaging said material fromsaid movable means to thereby permit said spring means to retum said movable .means to said initial position after movement thereof to said arresting position.

2. In a dispenserforrolled sheet material, the combination of: a cabinet for enclosing a roll of said sheet material and having an opening through which said material may be withdrawn; cutter means carried by said cabinet for severing a withdrawn length of said material; a movable means carried by said cabinet and frictionally engaging said sheet material for limited movement thereby between an initial position and an arresting position in which said material is frictionally held against further withdrawal; spring means normally urging said movable means to said initial position; and means responsive to severing of the withdrawn length of said material for disengaging said material from said movable means to thereby allow said spring means to return said movable means to said initial position.

3. In a dispenser for rolled sheet material, the combination of: a cabinet for enclosing a roll of said sheet material and having an opening through which said material may be withdrawn; a movable means carried by said cabinet and frictionally engaging said sheet material for limited movement thereby between an initial position and an arresting position in which said material is frictionally held against further withdrawal; spring means normally urging said movable means to said initial position; and manually operable means for disengaging said materia] from said movable means to thereby permit said spring means to return said movable means to said initial position.

4. In a dispenser for rolled sheet material. the combination of: a cabinet for enclosing a roll of said sheet material and having an opening through which said material may be withdrawn; a roller carried by said cabinet in a .position to Inormally frictionally engage said roll of sheet material and about which said material is passed in being drawn through said opening; means mounting said roller for limited rotational movement between an initial position and an arresting position in which said material is frictionally .a roller carried by said cabinet in a position to frictionally engage said roll of sheet material and about which said material is passed in being drawn through said opening, said roller having a plurality of circumferentially extending grooves formed in the outer surface thereof ;an inclined shelf disposed within said cabinet in a position to normally support said roll of sheet material in said position frictionally engaging said roller; a plurality of fingers carried by said'shelf disposed in partial encircling relation with said roller and between said roller and said material,

said fingers being received within said circumvferentially extending grooves; means mounting said roller for limited rotational movement between an initial position and an arresting position in which said roll of sheet material is frictionally held against further withdrawal; spring means normally urging said roller to said initial position; means pivotally supporting said inclined shelf for movement from an engaging position in which said fingers are disposed in said grooves below the surface of said roller to a releasing position in which said fingers engage said roll and said sheet material and lift the same out of engagement with the surface of said roller; and means for pivotally moving said shelf.

6. In a dispenser for rolled sheet material, the

combination of a cabinet for enclosing a roll of said sheet material and having an opening through which said material may be withdrawn;

a roller carried by said cabinet in a position to frictionally engage said roll of sheet material and about which said material is passed in being drawn through said opening, said roller having a plurality of circumferentially extending grooves formed in the outer surface thereof; an inclined shelf disposed within said cabinet in a position to normally support said roll of sheet material in said position frictionally engaging said roller;

a plurality of fingers carried by said shelf disposed in partial encircling relation with said roller and between said roller and said material, said fingers being received within said circumferentially extending grooves; means mounting said roller for limited rotational movement between an initial position and an arresting position in which said roll of sheet material is frictionally held against further withdrawal; spring means normally urging said roller to said initial position; means pivotally supporting said inclined shelf for movement from an engaging position in which said fingers are disposed in said grooves below the surface of said roller to a releasing position in which said fingers engage said roll and said sheet material and lift the same out of engagement with the surface of said roller; means normally urging said shelf to said engaging position; and means for moving said shelf to said releasing positiom 7. In a dispenser for rolled sheet material, the combination of: a cabinet for enclosing a roll of said sheet material andhaving an opening through which said material maybe withdrawn; a roller carried by said cabinet'in a position to friction-ally engage said roll of sheet material and about which said material is passed in being withdrawn through said opening, said roller having a plurality of circumferentially extending grooves formed in the outer surfacethereof; an inclined shelf disposed within said cabinet in a position to normally support said roll of sheet material in said position frictionally engaging said roller; a plurality of fingers carried by said shelf disposed in partial encircling relation with said roller and between said roller andsaid material, said fingers being received within said circumferentially extending grooves; means mounting said roller for limited rotational movement between an initial position and an arresting position in which said roll of sheet material is frictionally held against further withdrawal; spring means normally urging said roller to said initial position; means pivotally supporting said inclined shelf for movement from an engaging position in which said fingers are disposed in said'grooves below the surface of said roller to a releasing position in which said fingers engage said roll and said sheet material and lift the same out of engagement with the surf-ace of said roller; and means normally urging said shelf to said releasing position, said last named means being adjusted to be overcome by the pressure on said fingers resulting from withdrawal of said sheet material through said opening, whereby said shelf is moved to said engaging position,

8. In a mechanism for limiting to a predeter mined length the amount of material which may be withdrawn from a dispenser for rolled sheet material, the combination of a roller means mounted for rotary movement in a position to be frictionally engaged by said sheet material and moved therewith as said sheet material is withdrawn; a stationary path defining member defining a helical path; a movable member movable along said path; means on said roller for confining said movable member in said helical path and for moving said member along said path in response to rotation of said roller; and spaced stop means in said helical path for engaging said movable member and limiting the movement of said member to the portions of said helical path disposed between said stop means.

9. In a mechanism for limiting to a predetermined length the amount of material which may be withdrawn from a dispenser for rolled sheet material, the combination of: a roller means mounted for rotary movement in a position to be frictionally engaged by said sheet material and moved therewith as said sheet material is withdrawn; a stationary path defining member defining a helical path; a movable member movable along said path; means on said roller for confining said movable member in said helical path and for moving said member along said path in response to rotation of said roller; spaced stop means in said helical path for engaging said movable member and limiting the movement of said member to the portions of said helical path disposed between said stop means; and an adjustment means for moving said stop means along said helical path toward and away from each other.

10. In a mechanism for limiting to a predetermined length the amount of material which'ma-y be withdrawn from a dispenser for rolled sheet material, the combination of: a roller means mounted for rotary movement in a position to be frictionally engaged by said sheet material and moved therewith as said sheet material is withdrawn; a stationary path defining member defining a helical path; a movable member movable along said path; means on said roller for confining said movable member in said helical path and for moving said member along said path in response to rotation of said roller; spaced stop means in said helical path for engaging said movable member and limiting the movement of said member to the portions of said helical path disposed between said stop means, one of said stop means comprising a helical spring wound about said path defining member along a part of said helical path; and means for rotating said helical spring relative to said path defining member to thereby adjust the length of said helical path disposed between said stop means.

11. In a mechanism for limiting to a predeterjmined length the amount of material which may be withdrawn froma dispenser for rolled sheet material, thecombination of a roller means; shaft means mounting said roller for rotary movement in a position to be frictionally engaged by said sheet material and moved therewith as tions of said helical path disposed between said stop means, one of said stop means comprising a helical spring wound about said path defining member along a part of said helical path; and coacting means on said shaft means and'on said helical spring securing said spring to said shaft means for non-rotating slidable movement there'- along, whereby rotation of's'aid shaft meansrelaative to said path defining member moves said helical spring along said helical path to' adjust the length of the portion thereof included'between said stop members.

12. In a mechanismfor limiting to a predetermined length the amount of material which may be withdrawn from'adispenser for rolled sheet material, the combinationof: "a roller means; shaft means mounting said roller for rotary movement in a position to be frictionally engaged by said sheet material and moved therewith as said sheet material is withdrawn; a stationary path defining member defining a helical-path; a movable member movable along said path; means on said roller for confining said movable member in said helical path and for moving said member along said path in response to rotation of said roller; stop means at each end of said helical path for engaging said movable member and limiting the movement of said member to the portions of said helical path disposed between said stop means, one of said step means comprising a helical spring wound about said path defining membervalong a part of said helical path; coacting means on said shaft means and on said helical spring securing said spring to said shaft means for non-rotating slidable movement therealong, whereby rotation of said shaft means relative to said path defining member moves said helical spring along said helical path to adjust the length of the portion thereof included between said stop members; adjustment means for rotating said shaft means relative to said path defining member to any desired angular position; and means for holding said shaft means in any angular position to which it may be moved.

RAY 0. WILSON. 

